VERY ... Interactive Photo Booth.

Maria had this posted on her blog..
So... I stole it and am sharing it with all of you...

"Bless me father for I have sinned."

Technically speaking....If your spreading laughs and sharing where you got it from...
Then it's not stealing...
Enjoy!!!

P.S.
Stay tuned.. I will be posting photos of the unbelievable breakfast that awaited me when I got home from church..
Bobby Flay...
A.K.A ..Mr R
Outdid...himself!!
As promised....

Delish....

Whatcha Cooking?....Scones.. Not... Stones..

A couple of you asked me about the scones I mentioned in the Reel to Reel post and Yes .. they were homemade..

Something you may or may not know about me is.. When I taste something I really like at a restaurant or bakery.. I will sometimes go to extreme measures to duplicate them at home..Sometimes this works our phenomenally.. and sometimes.. well.. sometimes it just better to buy..

The Scones I tried at Starbucks are dreamy.. But the coffee it's self is so blasted expensive ..by the time you add a scone to the tab.. my gosh you could feed a small nation !

So I decided that I would give it a go at home... after a bit of trial and error.. I can say I am VERY happy with the results.. So for your gastronomical pleasure..

My version of Cranberry Orange Scones....

Here is our cast of characters..

1and 3/4 Cups Flour

1/2 teaspoon Salt

2 1/2 teaspoon Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon or allspice

3 teaspoons Baking Powder

5 Tablespoons butter

Zest of one Orange

1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries

2 Eggs

1/3 Cup of Half and Half ( or if you are being REALLY indulgent Heavy Cream)

1 Tablespoon Orange Juice

First and foremost WASH YOUR HANDS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I mean come on.. this should go without saying.. but I am going to say it.. in fact I think I will say it again...

WASH YOUR HANDS !!!!

First we mix all the dry ingredients..Always level off the flour in your measuring cup
Add your salt.... Don't' you just love the salt canister ...I mean look at this teeny tiny spoon..( How flippin cute)
Someday I when I am really really desperate.. I will do a post just on these lovely items.. Not because they are special in any way.. other then they put a smile on my face..and each have a story.

I know.. It doesn't take much to thrill me...

Next is the sugar..

You may be thinking I am using Brown sugar here.. but actually.. it is Raw Sugar I love this stuff.. It tastes just like regular granulated sugar..but has not been processed.

As you can see the granules are bigger then regular sugar.. and this will be important later in the recipe.. If you want to use regular sugar for the actual baking part that is fine.. but this sugar is preferred at least for the topping .

We have Sugar.. so of course we need spice...

In this case it is cinnamon.. but you can also use allspice...I just didn't have any.. both taste great..
Now the workhorse of the group..

Baking Powder..

This will allow for Fluffier scones.. key in making them... I think originally scones may have been called STONES.. because with out the baking powder. that is what you get. (believe me I know...)

Next we have Butter..

Lovely Lovely butter.

Again alot is in the name.. BUTTer..

I think you can see where I am going with this..I ONLY use butter in my cooking
Margarine is (in my opinion) not even real food.Just say No..

As you can see.. alot of butter comes already measured out for you.. It's best to use the butter cold.. cut into small pieces
Take off any rings.. and get right in there.. nothing makes you feel more Little House on the Prairie than mixing ingredients with your (Clean) hands

Next we have to zest an orange.. again.. give the guy a little bath..Dry it off and use a zester to get just the top part of the skin..If you don't have one of these Invest in one.. This one has a little measureing gizmo ....they make things alot easier...

the smell is heavenly..

Try to avoid getting the whitish part called the pith..( that part is bitter) Next comes the cranberries.. One egg beaten

1 Tablespoon orange juice .. ( I just squeeze the orange ) but you can use reguluar orange juce and mix Now... the Half and Half
Mix well...
Next... Clean off your your counter...(Do you see a theme going on here?? )Flour the counter lightly..( to prevent sticking)
Form into a ball...

Just look at all those yummy bits..
Next you flatten into a round.... and cut in to quarters..
Spray...The pan with PAM or grease with butter
Beat the other egg and top each slice

( I know you should use a brush but hey..necessity is the mother of invention)
Top with the RAW sugar...Place in pan

Bake 425 for 15-20 mins Till golden brown

Serve
Oh Mamma !!!


Enjoy !!!!

Have a Great Weekend!!!

The day I FELL for you...

NO...This is not a belated Valentine Post..

Those of you following along here know that we here in Michigan have been bombarded with some significant snow lately.. (Just when we thought spring was around the corner) Mother Nature laughed in our face and said.." Ha.. Take THAT."
and dumped more of the lovely white stuff on us.

This morning while I was cleaning an additional inch or so off the windshield.. I fell...

One minute I am standing upright......

The next I am laying on the ground sideways...

I was so shocked that it literally took me a couple of seconds to really comprehend what had just happened.. after taking stock of all my limbs ,I determined I did not break anything

THANK GOD !!!!!

Now we all fall at some point or other in our lives.. but let me tell you..

falling at ALMOST fifty is very different then falling at say.. five .. fifteen .. or even twenty-five..

Falling at ALMOST fifty scares the poop out of you...

Not so much because of the fall it self..

( although that was freaky.. not having control and all) but immediately I starting thinking about ALL the things I would NOT be able to do. and trying to figure out how I / We would manage.

Not pretty folks..

So I very publicly would like to say... as a testament to my good Catholic upbringing.. I hereby formally THANK GOD.. all the angles and saints.. that I did not hurt myself too bad..

Don't get me wrong I am achy.. and my muscles hurt.. but I know it could have been alot worse.

I also went to the chiropractor..

I don't' care what any of you M.D .ONLY people say..For me...there is something to this Chiropractic stuff..

I felt so much better after the adjustment..Not perfect but better.

So Here's a question...

Why can't they come up with mental Chiropractic maneuvers?
You know you go in.. all

depressed and mental

and come out Happy and normal.. Well I guess "Normal" is all relative.. I am a Genius I tell you ... Genius!!



Well that's about all I have to report...

Now if you excuse me.. I think I'll go soak in some "Sepsome Salt"

before Housewives of Orange County starts..

(Can you say addict? )
I want to be back to my old self as soon as possible.Good Evening all...

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